Planning a cheapish wedding for January in Essex!

LJ9982

Help!

I was just wondering if anyone could offer any advice re planning a wedding now for the end of January. Back story is that i have recently found out that I am pregnant - me and my partner had already talked about marriage previously and the plan was to save next year for 2015 but it's important to him that we are at least married before the baby arrives and I am happy with that and want to get married before i am too big We are happy to have a small/intimate ceremony now and the hope is that we will renew our vows later on down the line.

We are planning on having a local church wedding - so the venue is sorted (though i did try to convince him to maybe contact a few local wedding venues and see if they have any cancellations/late deals for wedding packages - but he wants a church wedding).

I am after ideas ref what we could do for a wedding reception (max 20 people) and also ideas ref dresses.... places i have looked at online mostly want at least 3 months to sort the dress from date of order (also would need around a size UK18)

Also wondering if anyone knows of any jewellers that are quite reasonable on ring prices / anywhere that sells second hand rings online- or any offers going on... i was thinking of possibly having some gold melted down and a ring made - would this be cheaper? my partners mum has kindly said i am welcome to have her and her mums rings made into a new one if that would be cheaper....

Just trying to get organised and wanted to see if anyone could offer any advice.

Thanks in advance.

lostinrates

For twenty people does anyone in the family have a home with a largish sitting room or open plan sitting dining room? Twenty people should easily fit in a 'normal' house that isn't tiny and it could be done for very littl e money, perhaps using caterers for a buffet, though for twenty I'd be tempted to do it between. T he family. Not often done these days, but I think it would be lovely, and the money can be put to more long term use.

LJ9982

I'd quite like a nice meal afterwards rather than a buffet and unfortunately, no-one in the family has an area large enough.... just keep wracking my brain trying to come up with something that can be reasonable, yet lovely

dancing_in_the_rain

It many be worth duplicating this post in Occasions and Celebrations forum as there is a board dedicated to Wedding and Anniversaries.

lostinrates

LJ9982 wrote: »

I'd quite like a nice meal afterwards rather than a buffet and unfortunately, no-one in the family has an area large enough.... just keep wracking my brain trying to come up with something that can be reasonable, yet lovely

Well, for twenty people and a meal I'd look at a nice restaurant (even a picturesque one) with a private dining room or separate dining room and agree a set menu with them.

moromir

Don't know where you're located but The Blue Bridge restaurants (theres one in Writtle then some off-shoot restaurants in Hatfield Peverel etc) do a very nice set menu for about £25 a head plus drinks - the festive lunch menu is about £20 a head I think - I'm not sure what date that stops in Jan. Worth a look? I think the Hatfield Peverel one has rooms you can book out.

Netwizard

For 20 people, head to the nearest pub afterwards!

Lara44

I got my dress from a bridal shop sample sale (which took place in December), and had it in hand after a quick dry clean. But there are many lovely dresses in the department stores that can be had off the peg too.

RAS

Thoughts on flowers etc:

See if you can find prepared white hyacinths NOW (they should have been planted before now) and get them rooted and in the dark ASAP. They should then be in flower by late January. Or go for for paperwhite narcissus bulbs and grow them on pebbles (got any green-finger rellies)?

A lot of ivies including the variegated ones flower all throughout the winter. You might be able to get winter jasmine, winter box and winter honeysuckle as well (although the latter is rather straggly).

I would expect most decent restaurants to bite your hand off in January if offered a party of 20 prepared to go for a late lunch.

cllola

Hi

I am in a similar position. Currently 11 weeks pregnant and getting married in 6 weeks time. There are around 22 people coming to our wedding. The ceremony is taking place at 12 noon and we are all heading to the local pub for a drink afterwards then dissapearing until the evening when we will meet up again at a restaurant and have an evening meal.
We are getting round the costs by saying we arent asking for wedding presents but instead could everyone pay for their own meal and drinks etc.

My dress is a second hand designer maternity dress from ebay - hit and miss but you can get some bargains.

Rings i cant help you with i'm afraid as the other half has sorted those and won't tell me how much they cost!

Good luck with the planning and congratulations on the wedding and baby!

LJ9982

That's a good idea ref the xmas menu ideas.... some places do their xmas set menus till the end of Jan - definiitely something to look into